Soda-water fountain



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. H. BOLBND. SODA WATER FOUNTAIN.

Patented May 5 AN DREW IGRAHA M. PHUTOLUHDAWASHINGI'DN. D C

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented May 5, 1896.

C. H. BOLEND. SODA WATER FOUNTAIN.

(No Mom.)

NNirnn STATES PATENT Erice.,

CHARLES H. BOLEND, OF MILVAUKEE, NSCONSIN.

SODA-WATER FOUNTAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,435, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed December 6, 1895. Serial No. 571.201. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that l, CHARLES Il. BoLnND, of Milwaukee, in the county of 'Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, havelinvented anew and useful Improvement in Soda-later Fountains, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation-to improvements in soda-water fountains.

The primary object is to provide a simple, easy, and convenient means for gaining access to the interior of the fountain for the purpose of removing the syrup-cans when it is required to rell the same, which requirement, as is well known, becomes necessary at frequent intervals.

A further object is the provision of animproved connection for the syrup-faucets, whereby said faucets may be cleaned, when necessary, with but the minimum of trouble.

The invention further contemplates other p objects in the general arrangement and conducted.

struction of the fountain, which will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a transverse vertical sectional view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of a fragment of a soda-water fountain embodying the improvements, one of the covers being shown as lowered, another as raised and the can in place, and the other cover as raised and the can removed. Fig. 3 is an inner face view of one of the covers 5 and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the syrup-cans, showing the faucet as thrown down upon itsv hinge.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates the outer casing of a soda-water fountain, provided at its front with an opening 6. Secured within the casing is a suitable support 7 for an ice-receptacle 8, the upper portion of which receptacle extends outwardly toward the front of the fountain. The lower portion of the ice-receptacle is adapted to contain the usual coolers 9, to which the soda and mineral waters are con- To each of' these coolers leads a pipe 10, which extends from a cellar or lower room through the bottom of the casing, thence in front of the verticalwall 11 of the ice-receptacle, through said wall, and then downwardly to the cooler. Another pipe 11 leads from each cooler'to each of the upperfaucets 12. Through the bottom of the ice-receptacle extends the usual overflow-pipe 13, which carries off the water of condensation from the `ice after said water reaches a certain height vin the receptacle.

The fountain is divided into a series of separate divisions by means of a series of rails 14, each division having a separate sliding cover 15. The rails form trackways for these sliding covers, and to effect this purpose are of the form of a segment of a circle. Each rail is a rectangular casting, having independent side pieces, and each of these side pieces is slotted longitudinally, as indicated at 17 The covers are also preferably curved to conform to the curvature of the rails, and upon the inner face of each cover, near opposite side edges thereof, are secured plates 18 18, which plates have lugs 19 projecting laterally therefrom, said lugs forming bearings for the journals of grooved antifriction-rollers 20. The bordering edges of the slots 17 iit in the grooves of these rollers and thereby serve to retain said rollers in place. By the described arrangement of the rails-1l. c., being of rectangular shape in crosssection in order to form two side pieces, which side pieces are slotted longitudinallyeach rail is made to serve as a guideway for the opposed edges of two covers. The doubleslotted arrangement of the rails, it is obvious, is cheaper and preferable from a mechanical standpoint than would be two separate rails for the opposed edges of contiguous covers. At the top of each cover is secured a transverse'plate 21,which plate projects above the edge of the cover. The plate is also formed about centrally with an inwardly-projecting hook 22.

Extending upwardly from the bottom of the outer casin g 5 are standards 23, which at their upper ends connect to and assist in supporting the slotted rails. Connected to and extending forwardly from each of these standards are horizontal arms 24., which are preferably T shape in cross-section. At their forward ends these arms are bent down at right angles and bolted to the front of the casing.

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horizontal T-shaped portions of the arnis are recessed, and in the recesses are fitted the ends tion.

of longitudinal slats 25, which slats form an open-bottom support for the syrup-cans 26. These cans are preferably of porcelain and have their greatest elongation vertically. Each is provided in its top with an opening 27 for the introduction of the liquids. In the front of each can, near the lower end thereof, is provided centrally an outlet-opening 2S, into which opening lits a bushing 29. A plate 30 is also secured across the front lower portion of the can, and through this plate the forwardly-projeeting portion of the bushing extends. The syrup-faucets are indicated by the numerals 3l. Each of these faucets terminates at its inner end in an enlarged plate 32. This plate is provided with a recess 33, which surrounds the longitudinal bore or opening of the faucet, and in this recess is arranged a packing The lower end of plate 32 is pivotally connected to the corresponding portion of plate 30 by means of a hinge-joint 35. A lug 36 projects inwardly from the inner face of each plate from near the upper end of said plate. Then the plate is thrown upwardly on its hinge, as indicated in Fig. l, the lug is adapted to pass through an opening in plate 230. The end of the lug therefore lies in the space between the inner face of plate 8O and the front of the syrupcan. In order to lock the parts in this position, l provide the end of each lug with an apertu re,through which aperture a transverse locking-pin 37 is adapted to be passed. When the two plates are brought together and locked in the position shown in Fig. l, it will be noticed that the end of bushing 29 bears against the packing 34 and thereby forms a liquidtight joint.

For the purpose of automatically operating the covers l attach to the hook 22 of each a cord 39, which cord extends rearwardly and is passed over a pulley 40. The free extremity of the cord has attached thereto a weight 4l, which weight is arranged in the space between the back of the syrup-can and the wall ll of the ice-receptacle. In order to hold the covers in their normal closed positions, l provide the front of the casing 5 with a series of openings 42. In each of these openings is fitted a sleeve 43, which sleeve is adapted to form a casing for a spring-encircled rod 44. The outer projecting end of this rod is provided with a pushbutton, while the inner end is pivotally connected to a lever 45, said lever having a pivot 46 at its lower end, which lower end is also provided with segmentally-arranged teeth,`

which are adapted to engage with teeth formed upon the inner edge of a catch 47. In Fig. 1 this catch is shown as lowered to a position te engage back of the plate 2l of the cover and thereby hold the cover in its closed posi- Vhen it is desired to release the cover,

all that is necessary to be done is to push inwardly upon the push-button. This will cause the segmentally-arranged teeth of the lever to act upon the teeth of the catch and thereby raise and release said catch from engagement with the plate. The moment the cover is thus released the weight 4l will exert a pull on the cord 39 and thereby slide the cover inwardly and rearwardly, the antifriction-rollers working in the longitudinal slots 17. It is of course obvious that any projection from the cover may be provided to engage the rails. The rollers, however, are much preferable, as thereby friction is reduced to the minimum. A handle 48 is arranged at the lower end of each cover in order to provide for conveniently closing the cover.

Beneath the slats which form the open bottom for the syrup-cans is provided an inclined board 48', which serves to conduct the sweat and leakage oozing from the cans through the slatted bottom to a point of discharge. It will be noticed that the wall ll of the ice-receptacle is provided with a series of upwardlyinclined openings 49. This provides for a free flow of the cold air from the ice-receptacle to the syrup-can compartments, and the air upon entering said compartments is free to circulate around all sides of the can.

Soda-water fountains as heretofore constructed have been objectionable owing to the great trouble necessary in order to get at the interior for the removal of the syrup-cans, which require frequent filling. By my improved construction access can be secured merely by pressure upon the push-button, which will release the cover and permit the cans to be taken out through the frontopenings and without danger of all the cold air from the other compartments escaping, as is the case with the single continuous cover now in common use. Each compartment is preferably arranged to accommodate two syrupcans. It is obvious, however, that these compartments may be arranged to accommodate any desired number of cans without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Another important feature of the invention is the convenient form in which the faucet is connected to facilitate cleaning the same, the construction permitting the faucet to be swung down to the position shown in Fig. 4 with but the necessity of removing the locking-pin 37.

Projecting from each plate 32 is a nameplate holder 50, formed or provided at its outer end with top and bottom flanges, between which flanges a name-plate 5l is adapted to be received. As the naine-plates are freely removable lon gitudin ally from between the flanges, said plates can be readily changed to suit the syrup tobe drawn from any particular can.

Another advantage in my improved construction resides in the fact that when a cover is lowered or closed its lower edge will bear firmly against the upper edges of the plates 30 and 32. As plate 30 is secured to the syrupcan, and as plate 32 is secured to plate 30, when the faucet is thrown upon its hinge a firm pressure practically is secured against the can. The can therefore is held solid IOO IOS

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against turning or twisting when power is applied to the faucet. In the front of the casing and between the separate can-compartments are a series of strips 52, the edges of which strips overlap the edges of the covers l5 and thereby form air-tight joints. Just back of the syrup-cans the framework is connected by an upper and a lower beam designated, respectively, by the numerals 53 53. These beams run the full length of the fountain, and the upper one, 53, has secured thereto the bearings for the journals of the rollers 40. Connected to these beams are the ends of rectangular boxes 54, which form guides or ways in which the weights 4l slide. It is important to provide these boxes, as otherwise in case of shipment there would be nothing to prevent the weights from swinging.

IVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a soda-water fountain, the combination of a casing provided with an opening in its front, rails forming a trackway, a cover adapted to engage the rails and to slide thereon, means for holding the cover normally closed, and a weight connected to the cover for automatically sliding the same to an open position, when the cover is released, substantially as described.

2. In a soda-water fountain, the combination, of a casing having an opening in its front, rails forming a trackway, a cover for the front opening, and of less width than said opening, so as to normally leave an open space below the lower edge of the cover, said cover adapted to engage and slide on the rails, and a can within the casin g, the lower portion of the can adapted to close the space below the lower edge of the cover, and said can provided with a faucet projecting through the lower space, substantially as described.

3. In a soda-water fountain, the combination, of a casing having an opening in its front, rails forming a series of trackways, each rail having opposite side pieces, which side pieces are provided with longitudinal slots, a series of covers for the opening of the casing, said covers provided with projections or rollers en gagingthe longitudinal slots of the rails, and means for actuating the covers, substantially as described.

4. In a soda-water fountain, the combination, of a casing provided with an opening in its front, upwardly and rearwardly curvedl rails, a can or cans within the receptacle, a cover for the opening, said cover adapted to engage and slide on the rails, a cord secured to the cover and extending rearwardly over a pulley, and a weight secured to the free end of the cord, and adapted to slide in the space back of the can, substantially as described.

5. The combination, of aplate, afaucethaving its inner end hinged to said plate, and means for locking the faucet, when turned on its hinge against the plate, substantially as described.

6. The combination, of a can, a faucet having its inner end hinged thereto, and means for locking the faucet when turned on its hinge against the can, substantially as described.

7. The combination, of a can, a plate secured thereto, a faucet having its inner end hinged to said plate, said inner end also provided with an inwardly-projecting lug adapted to pass through an opening in the plate, when the faucet is turned on its hinge against the plate, and a locking-pin adapted to be passed through an opening in the inner end of the lug, substantially as described.

8. In a soda-water fountain, the combination, of a casing provided with an opening in its front, rails forming a trackway, a cover adapted to engage the rails and slide thereon, and strips having their edges overlapping the edges of the cover, substantially as described.

9. In a soda-water fountain, the combination, of a casing provided with an opening in its front, rails forming a trackway, a cover adapted to engage the rails and to slide thereon, means for holding the cover normally closed, a'weight connected to the cover, and adapted for sliding the cover to an open position, when the cover is released, and a guideway in which the weight lits and travels, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES l-I. BOLEND. Witnesses:

ARTHUR L. MoRsnLL, FRANK H. RINHARD. 

